A New Beginning
by Girly 411
Summary: Bella moves to Forks after witnessing her parents’ unusual murder. What happens when she finds out that the murderers were vampires?
1. Memories

**A New Beginning!**

**Summary:** Bella moves to Forks after witnessing her parents' unusual murder. What happens when she finds out that the murderers were vampires?

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Twilight_. Isn't it obvious? Probably…

**Dedication:** This entire story is dedicated to ClumsyBird92 even though she claims to have given up on it.

**Co-writer: **ClumsyBird 92, though not so much past chapter 9.

**Beta-Reader:** TheBadassRoza, though not so much past chapter 9.

**(A/N) Hey there, all my readers! Just a quick little note. This is my first **_**Twilight**_** fanfic ever! So be nice! Okay, so I'd like to dedicate this one to a very special friend of mine, **TrippingAngel390623**, for nagging me constantly to write this for her. So, yeah, luv ya, Cae! And that's coming from the heart of this no-life person …**

**Chapter 1: Memories**

As I look out the rain-splattered window of Charlie's cruiser, I remember the reason I came to Forks in the first place.

"Bella, isn't this great?" Renée enthused about the party she'd thrown, marking the end of summer. She was looking at me expectantly.

"Yeah," I managed to say, trying to sound excited, "It's perfect for Phil." Phil was my step-dad, always busy with one thing or another, so I was surprised he even made it to _his_ party.

"It's not for Phil." Renée laughed like she always does when she's trying to give me a gift one way or another. "Bella, it's for you. It's a farewell to summer kind of party."

"Well, it's great for Phil either way," I confirmed my previous statement with a small smile.

"Just try to enjoy yourself. Mingle a little bit, chat with friends, just please try to enjoy yourself," Renée pleaded with me, "For me? For Phil? It was mostly his idea."

"Alright, I'll _try_ to enjoy myself," I caved, "For you – yes. But for Phil? Maybe."

"How about for me, kiddo?" came a voice I was very familiar with.

I turned from my smiling mother and saw Charlie walking in from the already crowded backyard. "Dad!" I exclaimed in surprise as he walked up to me, "I wasn't expecting to see you."

"Well, your mom called and told me to come here as a surprise," Charlie explained with a smile and we hugged quickly before I turned to hug Renée, too.

"Thanks," I said, "That's really… nice."

"You're welcome, honey," Renée told me and pulled back a bit, "Why don't you and Charlie go out in the back and talk to our guests?"

"Come on, Bell," Charlie said and we walked out into the backyard to join the party.

After a while of talking to the few friends I had from school and most of my cousins, I realized Renée hadn't emerged from the house yet. So, I found Charlie talking to one of my friend's parents and pulled him aside.

"Dad?" I stated a little worried, "Where's mom? She was supposed to be out here a while ago."

"I haven't seen her either, but I'm sure everything's fine," he answered, "She's probably getting Phil ready to come out." There was something in his tone of voice when he spoke Phil's name that suggested a tiny bit of anger or something I couldn't quite tell.

"Well, I'm going inside to see what's going on," I explained, "I'll be back in a bit." I turned to walk toward the house, but Charlie grabbed my arm to stop me.

"I think you should wait," he warned me quietly so no one else would hear, "They might want their privacy so they can… be alone."

I smiled sort of and shook my head. "I'll be careful." I broke free of his grip and kept walking toward the house.

"Okay, but I warned you." Charlie shrugged, but I just ignored him.

When I got inside, I called for Renée, but I didn't get an answer. So, I called for Phil. Still, no answer. What was going on? I walked towards the bedrooms, but I couldn't find anyone. The last room I walked up to was Renée's and Phil's room. Why they couldn't have separate rooms, I'd never know. I couldn't hear anything from the other side, so I opened the door slowly and when it was open enough to see inside, I saw two gorgeous pale people standing in there.

There was a woman who looked so elegant the way she stood – it was distinctly cat-like. Her long hair was a brilliant orange that stuck out wildly, but her whole presence was beautiful, if not scary. There was a man in there, too, and he was just as beautiful as the woman was. He had short, light brown hair that was cropped.

I didn't recognize either of them, so I wondered who they were. I was about to go into the room and ask them who they were, but then I saw it. The woman was biting Phil's neck while the man was biting Renée's. I stood there shocked. Phil and Renée were limp in their arms and it didn't look good. I gasped and the two turned to look at me – their deep burgundy eyes looking sinister and disturbing.

I quickly realized they weren't invited. I froze up in shock. The only thing I could do was scream at the top of my lungs. The moment I did, they stiffened and jumped out the open windows. It was a movement so quick, I wasn't even sure I saw it. Charlie was by my side as soon as humanly possible.

"What's wrong?" he asked and then he saw it, too. He opened the door and saw Renée and Phil on the floor – motionless – with two holes in the side of their necks that looked like a bite mark that wasn't human. I stopped screaming in just enough time for Charlie to go over to them and feel their pulses. Then he turned around and said, "They're dead."

Those were the days when I was normal, social, and enjoyed surprises and receiving gifts. I shiver at the memory and cringe as I remember what I'd learned after the incident. I learned something no one else knew about the murder I'd witnessed. Because I'd discovered only such things as vampires suck blood and _that_ was definitely what I'd witnessed.

So, I'd looked up vampires. Searching through the information, I'd found a certain coven of vampires called the Volturi. It was supposedly one of the biggest covens ever to exist and they were in charge of keeping order in the vampires' existence and making all the rules.

They reside somewhere in Italy. Volterra, it said. That was the core of all vampire-kind, so if they went down, all vampires would go down with them. Since I now know they walk with us humans, I am even more determined to avenge my mom.

Charlie turns around and tells me that we've arrived at his house. I just nod and step outside into the rain. I realize the weather fits my dreary mood, but I grab my stuff and Charlie helps me to move it all into the house. Here I am. My new life. Forever.

**(A/N 2) Hey, again…It's this crazy author who has just finished the first chapter of this story that's title will probably be changed when I can think of a better one. So, I have to thank **TrippingAngel390623** for holding back and not peeking over my shoulder as I typed this (as often as you would have like, Cae) even though it pained her to resist. My hero. So, yeah, I hope she likes this! And I hope everyone else luvs it too! So, yeah, review!**

**EDIT:**

**Well, aside from the fact that **TrippingAngel390623** is now ClumsyBird92 and is furthermore no longer interested in this story (as she so plainly put, she "gave up on it" because I took too long… which I did, so I can't fault her there)… I think it's alright for me to say that this is the 10****th**** thing I posted to my account and it's the first **_**Twilight**_** thing I've written, too. *sigh***

**I'm pretty proud of it… and it's sort of a parody of the _Twilight _series (because I can't stand it), though I'm glad to see that a lot of people like this story. I'm just sorry I don't update often enough for you all. *ducks head in embarrassment* So, I figured I should also mention that this story has become part of my New Year's "spring cleaning" binge. I didn't do all that much, but I definitely fixed grammar, some formatting, and the usual stuff. Ya know… Words. =/**

**_Original Post:_ 9/8/08**

**_Revised:_ 10/27/11**

**_Reposted:_ 10/30/11**


	2. School Part 1

**Chapter 2: School Part 1**

I wake up the next morning feeling more aware than usual. I can hear the rain pounding hard against my window like pebbles. Then, suddenly, it comes back to me. I am starting school today at Forks High. So, I get up and get ready for the morning – that included bringing a few essentials just in case they were needed. I pack a can of pepper spray in my bag along with a few other vampire repellants – you never know who or what you'll bump into and I certainly wanted to be prepared.

When I'm done, I go downstairs to meet Charlie at the kitchen table. He doesn't look up at me when I come in and we don't speak. Now that I think of it, we haven't spoken much since the incident. Charlie doesn't know how it happened, but I'm sure he saw the bite marks.

There have been times when I've thought about telling him about the vampires I saw and that they _are_ real, but he wouldn't believe me. And even if I did tell him, he'd still be in denial of the whole thing. I think the murder has changed us, in a way.

It's made Charlie – the Chief of the police department here in Forks – more determined to catch the few criminals there are in this small town. And I guess it's made me less social, more independent, and I _know_ I hate getting gifts or anything to do with parties – that's what took my mom away from me.

Those vampires got in there acting as guests and I don't want that happening again. My anger has been directed at those marble creatures. I always find some way of blaming them even if it's just me forgetting to wash the dishes; I find a way to put it all on them.

I decide I'm going to skip breakfast and just head to school. I get my coat and walk outside and notice the big red truck sitting in the driveway. I walk up to it and see a note attached on the inside. I get in and read it.

It read:

_Hey, Bella. This is the truck Charlie bought you. I made it myself, if that makes it any better. I drove it up early this morning. Sorry if I woke you. Love, Jacob_

I sigh. Jacob Black has been a family friend for a long time – when I used to spend summer here – but I haven't seen him in a long time because he lives down in La Push with his dad, Billy. And he left the key in the ignition. I start the car and head off to school with a strange feeling that something isn't right in this town. The feeling grew the closer I got to the school. And when I finally get there, it's so overwhelming that I am even more aware than I was this morning when I woke up.

I park my new truck in the school parking lot. I notice the only respectable car in the entire lot is a strange silver Volvo. I chose to park as far away from it as possible. I don't know why, but my instincts tell me to leave and the bigger part of me tells me to keep going. I go inside and try to find my first class.

The moment I walk into the room, everyone turns to look at me and they start to whisper stuff like "that's the girl whose parents were murdered" or "that's Chief Swan's daughter". It _should_ make me sad or nervous, but it's doing the opposite. I am furious, but it's not them I'm mad at; it's the vampires.

I hand the slip from the front office to the teacher, he signs it, and I sit down in the only desk available. Mr. Mason, the teacher of this English class, was nice because he didn't bother to introduce me to the class, who were staring at me the entire time until the bell rang, making a nasal buzzing sound.

I get up and rush out into the rain before anyone else and head off to my next class – Government with Mr. Jefferson. The class wasn't so bad, but I got the same first reaction from my classmates the moment I'd walked into the room. So, now I'm even angrier at those vampires for ruining my life and making me move to this dreadful place. And that strange feeling I got this morning was growing stronger the closer I got to the end of the day.

All through Trigonometry with Mr. Warner I was growing more and more aware of my surroundings and I really wished I wasn't. I could feel the eyes of everyone around me boring into me. And even in Spanish they managed, so now when I walk into the cafeteria for lunch, I'm surprised when barely anyone takes notice of me. There's only one table full of people who really look at me.

A girl from my Trig and Spanish classes waves to me as I approach them. She's several inches shorter than my 5 ft 4 in height status. Her wildly curly, dark hair made up most of the difference between out heights, though. I can't remember her name and I don't really try.

"Hey, Bella!" she calls and I'm surprised she hasn't called me Isabella like everyone else has. I guess I got the message out pretty fast.

"Hi," I respond when I reach her, "What's up?"

"Sit down and eat lunch with us," she offers, so I sit down.

"Thanks," I tell her somewhat gratefully and that feeling comes back to me in an overpowering gush.

The girl immediately starts to talk about classes and teachers and stuff like that, but I only manage to catch everyone's names before I lose interest. The talkative girl's name is Jessica. There is this gangly boy with obvious skin problems and his hair is as black as an oil slick whose name is Eric and he's in my English class. I immediately see him as the overly helpful, chess club type.

There's also a cute, baby-faced boy with pale blonde hair that is carefully gelled into orderly spikes. I recognize him from my English class. He's definitely talkative because he's now going on about how he lived in California until he was ten and he's definitely one of the nicest people I've met today. I remember his name is Mike. I just nod as he talks to me until the subject changes and he and Jessica are talking animatedly about something I don't care enough to pay attention to.

Angela, the tall, shy girl who's sitting across from me, smiles politely at me from behind her light brown hair. I smile back at her and we go back to eating our lunches. She is sitting next to a boy named Ben, who's sitting next to another boy named Connor.

I notice a girl with slick, silver, blonde hair like corn silk is chatting with a boy named Tyler. Her pale, fishy eyes look from me to Tyler constantly as she talks about weekend plans in an unpleasant, nasal voice. I remember her name is Lauren. She's sitting next to Jessica and pretty soon they're all talking about organizing a trip to the reservation down in La Push. I think back to Jacob and I really start to get this strange feeling; I can't tell what it means.

Just then, I get an unusual sense that I'm in the presence of an evil thing and I automatically suspect Lauren, but I look up and see _them_. My jaw sets and my teeth grind and my fury reaches the boiling point. I clench me fists under the table to keep myself from doing something rash.

Memories of the two marble creatures that killed my mom fill my head, swirling in circles, as I find myself staring at five hideous murderers sitting at a table at the far end of the cafeteria. I immediately reach for my backpack. I will avenge my mother and it starts with _them_.

**(A/N) Hey there! All right, I know Jacob didn't really build Bella's car, but I decided to tweak the truth just a little bit, so yeah… don't yell at me for that. But tell me what you thought of chapter 2. Can you guess what Bella saw? Anyone who does will get a virtual cookie! And if you can guess what happens next… you'll get a virtual cake! Yeah, that's right, I said a cake. Cuz you know you want one. So, yeah… R&R!**

**EDIT:**

**Again, I just tweaked the formatting a bit and grammatical errors. I'm leaving this story relatively untouched during my edits because… I don't think it's that bad off. It's not my best work, obviously, but I still think it has a certain charm about it that fits for a _Twilight _rewrite/parody. So… I hope you continue to think so, too.**

**_Original Post:_ ?**

**_Revised:_ 10/27/11**

**_Reposted:_ 10/30/11**


	3. School Part 2

**Chapter 3: School Part 2**

**(A/N) Hiya! Righty, I'll try to make ya's all a promise to keep. I'm going to try to update this weekly unless nobody reviews, in which case I won't update until at least maybe three peoples do. K? Try to do that for me. And yeah… I'm luvin the reviews from all ya's so far! They make me so so happy! Makes the whole wide world go round when I see a review and it makes all this stuffs worth it. (To you, a review might not seem like a big deal or maybe it is, but it def is for me cuz it means I'm appreciated for all my hard work to get around all my parents' rules and put this stuff up for you.) I mean that in a good way, the best way possible. I'll let you read now…**

"Oh… those are Dr. Cullen and his wife's kids," Jessica tells me because she notices my staring, "They're adopted."

I roll my eyes. Yeah, they're adopted alright. They're probably all waiting for the right time to eat their adoptive parents like they did their own.

"So, what else can you tell me about them?" I ask, not looking away for even a second.

"Well, they moved here from Alaska two years ago," Jessica tells me, obviously satisfied with my sudden interest in her knowledge and my apparent hatred for the Doctor's "kids".

Yeah, I'm sure they just moved here to find fresh meat until they wiped out most of the town before their next big move. "What else?" I persist because she seems like the kind of person who knows _everything_ rather than just one thing.

"Well, take a look at the girls," Jessica tells me, "The tall one is Rosalie Hale and the short one is Alice Cullen."

I easily spot them out. Rosalie was tall, statuesque, and had a beautiful figure, with long golden hair gently waving to the middle of her back. Alice was short, pixie-like, extremely thin, and she had a small figure and deep black hair, cropped short, pointing in every direction.

"Now, look at the _guys_." Jessica giggles a bit. "The big-muscled one is Emmett Cullen, the honey blonde is Jasper Hale, and the last one is Edward Cullen."

I look at them and I try not to get too absorbed in their deceiving looks, reminding myself that they're murderers. Emmett definitely had the muscles of a serious weight lifter and he was tall with dark, curly hair. Jasper was taller, leaner, but still muscular, and honey blonde. The last one, Edward, seemed a bit different to me. I can't tell how, but he was definitely different. He was lanky and definitely less bulky than Emmett, with untidy, bronze-colored hair. Maybe it is because his hair is different, but I'm not sure.

They were _all_ the same by the fact they were chalky pale with perfect, all-straight features, and if I didn't know they were murderers, I would have thought they were devastatingly, inhumanly beautiful. But that was just it; they _weren't_ human.

I can tell because they all had purplish bruise-like shadows under angular eyes and from where I sit, I can tell their eyes are charcoal black. I read about all that and remember it's a sign they're thirsty for blood… human blood.

"They're pretty cute, aren't they?" Jessica keeps the conversation going, obviously wanting a confession I can't give her.

Yeah, if you think murder is cute, then they're absolutely adorable. I just shrug.

"Well, I don't blame you," Jessica says with a smile, "Plus, they're together anyway. You know… Emmett and Rosalie; Jasper and Alice. They're _together_ and they _live_ together."

She giggles a bit as I roll my eyes. So, vampires have relationships, do they?

"Edward doesn't like anyone, though," Jessica continues sort of icily, "No one is good enough for him."

Hmm… a lonely vampire who doesn't want a girlfriend. He may be a weak link. And if I can get to him first, then the others will come easier. Maybe.

I turn to Jessica, still eyeing the vampires out of the corner of my eye. "Um… I have to go to the bathroom," I tell her as I grip my backpack even tighter, "I'll be back soon, so keep talking about the trip to the reservation while I'm gone. Fill me in later."

"Okay," she agrees, a bit happier than she was a minute ago, "But you _have_ to come with us."

"Sure," I say and stand up to leave with my bag and Jessica turns back to the others, rejoining the conversation.

I smile to myself as I take the long way around to the back of the cafeteria where the vampires are sitting. When I find an empty two person table, I sit down so I can see the vampires, who I know are pretending not to hear me. I know for a fact that they have very good hearing.

I start to pull out a bottle of holy water, but I'm surprised the vampires don't even move a muscle. They just remain where they sit, staring at each other with trays of untouched food in front of them. I open the bottle, but they don't even budge. That figures. Rocks don't move. Why _should_ a vampire run away at the first sign of death? I sigh as I decide on two more items of my choice from my backpack: a mirror and a camera.

Vampires shouldn't have reflections and they shouldn't show up in pictures. Come to think of it, they shouldn't cast shadows either, but there's like no sunlight here to make shadows and the sun should make vampires shrivel up and die, but that's not what I'm testing now.

I take the mirror and direct it at the vampires. Surprisingly enough, they show up in the mirror. They _have_ a reflection? That's not possible… they're vampires! Oh well, at least I can prove I'm not crazy by taking a picture of them and seeing how they don't – _shouldn't_ – show up in pictures.

So, I hold the camera up and "accidentally" take a picture of them. I decide I'll develop the picture after school today. I slip them back into my bag and pull out the list I'd made the night before. I read it over to myself.

_Repels Vampires:_

_Mirrors (no reflection)_

_Garlic_

_Holy Water (burns when thrown at them)_

_Silver_

_Cross_

_Wooden stake through heart_

_Fire_

_Sunlight (makes them shrivel up and die)_

_Sleep in coffins with a layer of soil from homeland (during day)_

_No walking on hallowed ground_

_Can't cross running water unless in coffin_

_Don't like werewolves (natural enemies)_

_Can walk up walls_

_Don't cast a shadow_

_Control humans with one look in the eyes_

_If their coffin is destroyed, the vampire is doomed_

_Can't go into a private building without permission_

_Can shape shift into a puff of mist, bat, or wolf_

_Cut off head so can't reattach itself kills it_

_Submerged in water kills them_

_Don't show up in a picture_

_Fangs_

_Speed and agility_

_Keen senses_

_Impenetrable skin_

I put the word "Repels" in parenthesis because it seems some things aren't true. Next to the thing about mirrors, I write "do have a reflection". I'm still confused about that, though. I put an X next to garlic and cross. Shaking my head, I realize there's a lot more I need to cover before I have any proof to support my claim.

Just as I decide to test my acid Holy Water theory, the bell rings, ending lunch and the vampires get up. I groan to myself as I gather my stuff and walk back to my new friends – I think they're my friends. "Sorry, I took so long," I say, "Does anyone know where building 4 is?"

"I'll walk you there," Mike offers right away, "Angela and I have Biology next, anyway."

"Thanks," I say with a smile.

**(A/N 2) Hey, again… well, I have to say that xMoonlitRosex is my unofficial beta because I asked and she offered. Okay and the sorta co-writer of this fic is TrippingAngel390623. Yeah, they're so special. I still want to thank them for reading and helping me with this and I'm so sry to all of you for making you wait. I got kidnapped by ninjas! Just kidding, actually, it was stuff for home.**

**EDIT:**

**By the way, xMoonlitRosex is now known as TheBadassRoza. Heheh… Yeah… And I already mentioned that TrippingAngel390623 changed her penname to ClumsyBird92. *nods***

**I made some edits to this chapter… but that was only formatting tweaks and grammar correction. Nothing more.**

**By the way, for those of you who think so, Bella's list of Vampire Traits and Repellants is _not_ a load of garbage! Stephanie Meyers' vampires are a load of trash – complete crackpots! The list that Bella has acquired is the compilation of features of TRADITIONAL vampires. In case you didn't catch on before, I'm using this as a way to MAKE FUN OF _TWILIGHT_ AND ITS HORRENDOUS MOCKERY OF ALL VAMPIRE-KIND! *sigh***

**Sorry I had to put that all in caps, but I wanted it to be noticeable cuz I got really irritated when people started telling me that I was bogus because of Bella's list.**

**No, people. It's not _me_ who's bogus… It's anyone who believes that Stephanie Meyers' vampires are the LAW of all vampires everywhere. Dracula would totally kick the Cullens' _arses_ for mocking him. *nods* Yeah… I said it. Total smack down.**

**Now, don't shove nasty comments down my throat for "insulting you". I have no problem with people liking the _Twilight _vampires… but it's honestly rude and offensive when those people start getting so wrapped up in the series that they fail to realize that there ARE other kinds of vampires out there BEFORE _Twilight _came in and exploded over everyone's dignity and peace of mind. So, feel free to like the Cullens… or any other _Twilight _vampire. I kind of like a few of them. But just don't go around telling me that I'm WRONG about vampires because the things I write have little to nothing to do with the vampires in that sad excuse for a book series. Because anyone who believes that _Twilight _is law… is evidently not as smart as they make themselves out to be. Either that or they're ignorant.**

**I just had to say it. I apologize if I offended anyone, but please try to see where I'm coming from. All of you people know who you are. Educate yourselves please… before you make yourselves look stupid in front of people who really matter. Cuz you'll look back on it and cry. =(**

**And I suppose you've just received one of Cloe's many Wacky Lessons… this time, on vampires. =/ Strange how that happened so unintentionally.**

**_Original Post:_ ?**

**_Revised:_ 10/27/11**

**_Reposted:_ 10/30/11**


	4. Edward

**Chapter 4: Edward**

**(A/N) Hey, there. All right. Is this update quick enough for you? I hope so because I had this chappie written before I'd posted the 3rd one. :) So, yeah… I need ideas for chappie numero 5. If anyone has any ideas where I could end up going with this… I have an idea, but I really need stuffs to happen in between… then I'd really appreciate you helping me. Just run by me what you want to see happen. K? And plz keep reviewing! Plz, don't give up on this yet. It gets better. And plz understand that Bella's knowledge of the vampires is _limited_! Plz understand that. And can someone explain to me why the new word for everyone is "interesting"? That's the only word I hear… see… lately. Yeah… so confuddling.**

I try not to pout as I walk with Mike and Angela to our Biology class. If I'd had even a few more seconds just to try my next theory on vampires, it would have been over now. Instead, I am sulking to myself, wondering how much of my knowledge is fact or fiction.

"Did you hear me, Bella?" Mike asks me enthusiastically, "I said, we're going to the reservation Saturday. You coming?"

I look at him and try to force a small smile. "Oh… yeah, I'm coming," I agree as I turn away and shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. Well, at least I could just get through Biology without having to think about _them_.

As soon as we walk into the room, I freeze because that eerie feeling is back and I'm steaming as the teacher, Mr. Banner, signs the slip of paper I've been carrying around all day. Then, I'm even angrier when Mr. Banner tells me to take a seat at the only table available. As I turn to walk in the direction he pointed to, I find out why. At the one table I _have_ to sit at is the lonely, non-social vampire. My blood boils – something I'm sure would drive him crazy because he'd just love to sink his teeth into my flesh and drink me dry – as I approach the lab table.

I stand there angrily glaring at him as he glances up at me. His black eyes are startled for a second, then confused, but quickly flicker to an unsure welcome. I grab the stool and move it to the far edge of the table and sit down. I open my notebook and prepare to take notes on something I've already learned.

"Bella," his velvet voice spoke quietly to get my attention.

I groan – more like growl – as I reach into my bag and pull out my bottle of holy water. "_What_?" I spoke venomously as I turn to look at him, silently confused as to why he was talking to _me_, of all people.

"I'm Edward Cullen," he says with a small smile.

I continue to glare back as I mutter, "I'm sure you are."

He sighs that kind of sigh that would make most girls faint, but I remain strong because my hatred for him is still skyrocketing off the normal scale. "So, do you like it here in Forks?" he asks as if he really truly cares about how I feel and what I think, "The teachers haven't been too hard on you, have they?"

"No," I answer him out of frustration, "Why _would _I like it here? I have to carry around this stupid piece of paper asking for my new teachers' autographs, and then I meet _you_."

I turn away from him and begin to take notes. His gaze hasn't left me yet. I can feel it boring into my head. He's making me feel self-conscious. Why is he even talking to me when he supposedly hates girls?

"You know…" he begins again, quieter this time, "You seem different than everyone else."

So, this vampire is observant. Clever. I look at him with a mixture of curiosity and hatred. This would be the perfect time to test my acid holy water theory.

"Are you thirsty?" I ask as I grip the bottle and start to uncap it.

"No," he says, looking at me funny, "I don't drink water."

Yet, blood makes everything all better, now doesn't it? "Well, then what _do_ you drink?" I ask as I dip my fingers in the holy water.

"I like something fresh with flavor." He shrugs, watching me carefully. "But we aren't talking about that right now."

I roll my eyes at him and his perfect ultra white toothy smile – teeth, I realize, that _aren't_ fangs. I flick the holy water at him, hoping he'll shrivel up and die – or whatever it is vampires do.

Instead, he blinks and stared at me in amusement and confusion. "What was _that_ supposed to do?" he questions with a small smirk – a crooked smile – that only infuriates me more. He's mocking me!

"Well, obviously not what it should have," I answer grudgingly and flick a bit more of the holy water at him to prove my point.

"You're certainly a hard person to figure out," he tells me, his face gone back to being confused again.

"I like it that way," I tell him grumpily, hoping he'll drop it.

Just as I start to take more notes, I hear him sigh. "You know…" he begins again after a few minutes of silence between us, "You're not normal."

"Well, neither are _you_," I hiss, casting him a poisonous glare, "Don't you have better things to do than harass me?"

"You're the one harassing me," he says eyeing me carefully.

"You know, I have a silver-tipped wooden stake in my bag," I warn him icily through gritted teeth.

"What are you going to do with that?" he quizzes me curiously, but I can see he's becoming even more amused, "Beat me?"

I sigh deeply in frustration. "No, I'd rather stab you with it," I say angrily, "In the _heart_… if you even have one."

With that, I turn away from him and take out the list of vampire '_repellants_' I'd been working on during lunch. I put an X next to "holy water". The next time I look up, he has retreated to the far corner of the table and he is sitting on the edge of his seat as far away from me as possible. I smirk to myself as I continue to correct my list. I write "no fangs" next to "fangs".

I notice he's wearing a silver watch. It can't be real, can it?

I write a note on a blank piece of paper: _Is your watch real silver?_

I fold it in half and toss it casually across the table at him. A few seconds later, it hits me in the hand as it lands back on the desk again. I open it up.

On the inside, written in curly handwriting is his note:_ Yes. Do you want it?_

I grumble as I put an X on my list next to "silver".

I would yell at him, but I'm beyond talking to that monster, so I write my answer: _No!_

Then, I crumple it up and throw it back in the direction of his head. I turn back to my notes before I can witness anything. Before I am able to finish even a single sentence, the ball of crumpled paper hits my hand again.

I open it up to read his note: _You missed._

I hear him quietly laughing to himself. It was bad enough he kills people regularly, but now he's crossed the line. He finds it funny to pick on the new girl. I am fuming now and I'm glad we're at the very back of the room so Mr. Banner can't see this little exchange. I was really tempted to hurt this monster I had to play crazy scientist with whenever we were asked to observe some sort of specimen Mr. Banner placed in front of us.

I quickly realize I'd probably just end up hurting myself instead. Vampires were supposed to have impenetrable skin… and I wasn't going to take any chances. Then, I realize how a wooden stake would never be able to break a vampire's rock hard skin, so I put an X next to "wooden stake through heart". Just then, the bell rings and I stand. Before I can blink, he's swiped my list from me and is skimming over it with an amused smile.

"Well, what's this?" he asks and I'm not sure if he's just being curious or if he is still making fun of me.

"None of your business," I tell him and try to grab the list, but he pulls it out of my reach, "Give it back."

"So, you're interested in vampires," he says with a grin, quickly skimming over the list I'm trying so desperately to reach.

I stop trying to reach for it and hold my hand out expectantly. "Give it," I demand as I glare at him, hoping I look intimidating. Somehow, I doubt it.

He turns away from me and I grab the bottle of holy water and angrily tap him on the shoulder. I am breathing heavily now as he sighs and turns to me slowly.

"This is your last warning," I warn him through clenched teeth, "Hand it over, monster."

"Why?" he asks, staring me in the eyes, "If it's so important to you, give me one good reason why I should return it to you."

That's it; he's pushed me too far. I uncap the bottle and dump the holy water on him. He stares at me in shock, obviously not expecting me to do that. I smirk as I take the list from him and grab my books and back pack. Holy water might not kill a vampire, but it worked just as well as regular water would in a case like this. I glance at his confused expression and then notice the rest of the class had stopped what they were doing to watch us.

Some of the guys are snickering to themselves, watching their competition get drenched. The girls are staring at us in shock, though some are whispering to each other, no doubt getting ready to spread rumors. I walk past them to the door and smile to myself as Mike starts slow clapping. By the time I get out the door, most of the class has joined in, so I speed up to get to my next class, managing not to trip until _after _they're out of sight.

**(A/N 2) Okay then, so how was the chappie? Remember I want 3 reviews before I update next. Got it? Right. So, anywho… guess what happens next? No, wait… tell me what you wanna see happen in a later chappie. K? How do you want Edward and Bella's relationship to go? Think about that and take the time to write a 2 second review explaining that. You don't even have to tell me if you don't want to. Just tell me what you think of this fic so far. Is it still worth the wait? Is anyone still reading this? PLZ let me know. :) Hope all of you had a very lovely Thanksgiving btw. Happy Gobble Gobble day! And thx, Cae, for continuously reminding me and arguing with me to update. Luv ya so much for all the helpful ideas… means so much.**

**EDIT:**

**Again, I made the regular formatting and grammatical changes.**

**But I really am curious to know… Why do people always describe a story as "interesting" when they review? I mean… _interesting_ has now become a word that people use when they don't know what to say about something. I mean, sure, _interesting_ has a definition in the dictionary… but… can't people say something more descript? _Interesting_ is so ambiguous, it's really not all that fair to toss it around so carelessly. =/ I dunno… Maybe it's just me… Well, no, that's a lie. It's not just me. Other writers I know find it a bit of a confusing situation to receive a review saying something along the lines of "it was interesting". *sigh* I don't know what to make of those reviews. And I always have to watch myself so that I don't slip up and write the same thing in a review for someone else.**

**Wow, that was a random wee rant there… all on a single word. Hmm… Another of Cloe's Wacky Lessons? I dunno. Heheh… XD**

**_Original Post:_ ?**

**_Revised:_ 10/28/11**

**_Reposted:_ 10/30/11**


	5. Alice

**Chapter 5: Alice**

As I trip into my art class, I catch my breath and stumble over to the teacher. She signs my little slip of paper and points to an empty seat… right next to Alice. I grumble as I make my way over to her tiny, smiling figure. What is it with all these Cullens and sitting alone?

"Hey," she greets me cheerfully, "I'm Alice."

"I know," I mutter as I sit down and sigh, far too fed up with her brother to be mad at her. I couldn't get a break. Two vampires in a row. My life couldn't possibly get any worse.

"Why don't you like us?" Alice asks me, sounding hurt and I turned to her in slight shock.

I didn't know why, but I was starting to sympathize with her. Maybe it was her sad expression that got to me… it was sadder than a hurt puppy. "Because…" I answer in a weak whisper, "You're vampires."

"How did you know?" she asks me like she's heard this news before.

She wasn't even going to deny it. What does that mean? "My mom and my step-dad were killed by two vampires," I explain very quietly, "My dad doesn't know. Nobody does. Just me." This should be making me mad, but it's really just making me sad. Usually, this would anger me. Maybe Alice just has that aura about her so you feel the way you're _supposed_ to and not how you _want_ to. **(Or maybe Jasper's hiding in a closet somewhere… jk.)**

"Sorry," Alice says quietly like she really means it, "I know how hard that is for you… to lose someone you really love. But not all vampires are bad."

"How do I know you're not lying to me?" I ask her tiredly.

"Look into my eyes," she says, but I refuse to fall into that trap.

"Why?" I ask again exhausted, "So you can control me, lead me away, and suck me dry?"

"That's not true," Alice tells me, "We can't control humans by staring them in the eyes. So, you can cross number sixteen off the list you're making."

I look at it and notice that's the one about controlling humans. Reluctantly I put an X next to it as I sigh and turn to her. I think I'll take her word for it.

"Okay, so why do you want me to 'look into your eyes'?" I question curiously.

"What color are they?" she responds and I take a good long look at them.

They are a strange ocher, darker than butterscotch, but with a golden tone. "Dark gold," I say thoughtfully, "Sort of like liquid topaz."

"Do you remember the eye color of the vampires who killed your mom?" Alice asks, quieter now as we stare at each other.

Immediately, I realize the difference. "Burgundy," I whisper as I realize she's right, "And yours aren't."

"Exactly." Alice smiles at me softly and, for once, I smile back.

"But your brother's are black," I say and then remember, "Actually, I think you, Rosalie, and Jasper are the only ones who don't have black eyes. That means you aren't… 'thirsty', but they are."

Alice nods and I look away. Some of this wasn't making sense. How did Alice know about the list? And how did she know I didn't like Edward… or the rest of them? There was something different about her that didn't show with the others. I just couldn't put a finger on it. I remembered the camera in my backpack.

"You know… I think I look pretty good in that picture," Alice says, making me look at her.

"What picture?" I ask innocently.

"The one you took during lunch," she tells me with a slight smile, "Bring it in tomorrow. I want to take another look."

"You're teasing me." I smile back. "You couldn't possibly show up in that picture. Vampires don't show up at all." She must have seen me take the picture, but what does she mean by taking "another look"? She couldn't have already seen it. I hadn't developed it yet.

"That's a myth," she told me with a shrug, "Of course, we show up. Don't humans?"

"Yes," I respond quickly, "But you aren't exactly human."

"We'll just have to wait until tomorrow so I can prove you wrong," Alice chirps quietly, "Of course… I already know the outcome of this, so just go with me on this one."

"And your brother says_ I'm_ hard to read." I shake my head, not understanding what she means. "But I have to admit so far… you're my favorite."

Alice smiles happily and gives me a quick hug. I cringe at how cold she is and she seems to notice, smiling back apologetically. At the end of the list, I add "stone cold" and smile back at her so she knows I'm not mad.

"Oh, and by the way… what you did to Edward made me laugh," she adds with a giggle.

I smirk. News travels fast here at Forks High.

"But please try to go easy on him." She sighs as she shakes her head with exaggerated slowness, a smile curling the corners of her mouth. "He can only take so much."

I roll my eyes and raise an eyebrow at her. "I'll try," I say and we both hold back our laughter. For the rest of the class, we held whispered conversations about regular school stuff, our interests, and other things that normal humans would talk about.

"There's only one more class to go before school ends," Alice trills excitedly near the end of the class, "Aren't you excited?"

There _was_ only one more class to go and I wasn't at all excited. I'd been dreading this class since the beginning of the day. "Not really," I respond with a shrug, "I hate gym because I'm not all that coordinated." Though, she could have guessed my reasoning.

She smiles sympathetically, but then her eyes unfocus for a second and her expression changed quickly to shock. "I'm so sorry," she tells me with a really sad face, her eyes quickly darting to meet my gaze, "I feel really bad now."

"Why?" I ask her in confusion, "You didn't do anything wrong."

She shakes her head. "No. I know you don't like us because we're vampires," she whispers quickly, so I have to try hard to keep up with her, "And I know how hard this is for you… especially with the two of them. I just hope he can control himself. But I'm so sorry, Bella."

I just stare at her, not at all following what she's trying to say. "What are you talking about?" I ask her, realizing there might be something a bit more special about Alice, "You're confusing me."

Alice smiles at me almost as if she were embarrassed enough to blush. "I'm sorry, but it's about my brother," she tells me and I automatically assume she's talking about… _Edward_.

"What about him?" I ask, hoping it wasn't something I'd regret.

"Well… he's in your class and you don't like us all that much," she begins to explain, "And you having to suffer with just two of us in a row is something we shouldn't have to put you through. I mean, I can transfer out of this class if you want me to so you don't have to…"

"No, Alice. You can't," I immediately object, "You're one of the only people I've talked to that seems to be able to relate to me today. If you transfer out… then, who will I talk to about how annoying Edward is? And I know you love this class, so I'm not going to let you give it up."

She smiles back at me happily. If she was willing to give up something she loved because she wanted to help me, then I can make a few sacrifices for her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," she trills and I can tell she wants to give me a hug, but doesn't want to make me cold again.

"Come on," I tell her as I open my arms a bit for her, "I can get used to the cold."

She gives me a quick appreciative hug just before the bell rings, signaling the end of class. "Thank you so much, Bella," Alice continues to show me her gratitude as she lets go and we both stand up, "I'm really sorry about you having to be in class with my brother when you'd clearly rather transfer out. So… good luck."

I grab my bag and we leave the room. "It's fine," I tell her with a shrug, "I just hope I won't hurt anybody in gym."

"Don't worry," Alice trills, "Everything will be fine. Trust me."

I smile at her as we walk. She was definitely different than her brother. Alice was okay… for a vampire.

**(A/N) OMG! Another chappie done! YAY! Alright… I went to see the _Twilight_ movie with two of my friends and we were the only ones in the theatre! It was amazing. Okay, so we dragged my older brother there too and he sat in the back laughing at us and our many comments about the movie. Commentary rocks when there's no one in the theatre with you to complain. So, yeah… we had fun and I've been inspired to write so much more in this fic because of that movie. It could have been better, but it was still amazing. How did everyone else enjoy it? And what do you think of my fic so far and what should happen next? Leave me many pretty reviews and enjoy the holiday season! And thanks to everyone who reviewed so far! Means so much to me. hugs.**

**EDIT:**

**Well, obviously, the only reason I enjoyed the first movie was because I wasn't watching it by myself, the entire theatre was empty, and we were poking fun at it the entire time. I still think it was a pretty fun night and I suppose the movie was… pretty good. When I saw the second one with my cousin, _man_, I was laughing so hard at it the entire time. That… and _Vampires Suck_ was an amazing parody of the series, so my cousin and I were practically on the floor in stitches. =P**

**Alrighty. Back on track. This chappie was edited the same way as the others: basically just grammatical and formatting corrections… as usual. In all honesty, I think I like this chapter the most so far. =)**

**_Original Post:_ ?**

**_Revised:_ 10/28/11**

**_Reposted:_ 10/30/11**


	6. Emmett

**Chapter 6: Emmett**

Alice had tried to get me to skip to class with her, but I'd told her it wasn't a good idea because I would most likely trip and fall. With that, she'd left me to walk to gym by myself after wishing me luck again. So, I sigh as I walk into the gym and introduce myself to my teacher, Coach Clapp. When he's done explaining the rules – there are _a lot_ of rules – I turn around and bump into something hard. Stumbling backwards, someone catches me before I fall. They're freezing cold and as I look up into black eyes, I start breathing heavily and struggle to break free of the giant's grip.

Emmett Cullen was towering over me, gripping my arm so I won't fall.

"Let go," I tell him, still struggling to break free of his bone crushing grip.

"Are you sure you want me to do that?" he asks with a slight edge in his voice.

"Yes!" I yell at him, still struggling to get away, "Just let me go."

"Okay," he tells me with a smirk, "Whatever you say."

With that, he lets go and I lose my balance, which makes me fall backwards. I scream as I fight to regain my balance or catch myself, but I'm surprised when I stop before I hit the ground. Sure enough, Emmett had done it again. His arm is wrapped around my waist, keeping me just inches above the ground and he's leaning over me with an amused smirk that seems sort of antagonizing.

"_Ha ha_. My hero," I say sarcastically as I roll my eyes and cross my arms, "So, what am I? Your new play thing? You seem to enjoy letting me fall."

This must have been what Alice was warning me about before.

"Well, I can't let you hurt yourself," Emmett says with a small raise of his eyebrows, "You might bleed all over the place."

So, he's thirsty. Then why isn't he dragging me away somewhere so he can kill me for my blood?

"Hasn't anyone ever told you not to play with your food?" I say quietly as I realize how strange our position is, "And will you please back up a bit?"

He chuckles as he realizes how weird this is getting. "What can I say?" he answers with a shrug, making no movement to back away, "I'm a guy… I like close places."

I smirk at him. "Won't Rosalie be jealous?" I retort, wiping the smile off his face.

He sighs and stands up straight, pulling me up with him. When I'm balanced, he removes his arm from around my waist and steps back a bit. "You're not going to tell her about this, right?" he asks, looking like a little kid who did something wrong.

"If _I_ don't, Alice might," I say, remembering how she seemed to know about what happened in Biology before anyone else.

"You know about Alice?" Emmett asks, his coal black eyes widening a bit.

"Yeah, and I hope she bites your head off," I tell him and stalk off into the girls' locker room to change for the class before he can say anything else.

I add another thing to the list: "extremely strong".

I walk out to class, having a feeling it was going to be torture and – you know what? – I'm right. We are supposed to be playing badminton, but mostly I just fall down a lot and get hit by the birdie and my own racket. I think Emmett is enjoying himself because he's on my team, but insists I try to cover my own spot. I notice Mike is on the other team and he's trying not to hit the birdie in my direction.

The one time I actually try to follow the birdie, I trip and fall into Emmett, managing to catch him off guard and hit him in the face with my racket. I think I'm hurt more, but he seems really annoyed with me. I can tell he's caught between amusement and frustration. Joy. Now, I've managed to get the big one mad at me. It was different with Edward. _He_ wasn't in my gym class where he could use any number of the various gym equipment as a torture device. I back away from Emmett quickly and brush myself off. Just then, the bell rings and I quickly rush back to the locker room, change, and dart out of the gym as fast as possible.

Sighing to myself, I realize I still have to go to the front office and return my paper to Ms. Cope. So, I pick up the pace a bit, suddenly sure of what I need to do next. I get to the main office and quickly hurry inside and out of the cold. Taking a few seconds to warm up, I hand over the slip and Ms. Cope asks me how my day was.

Just as I'm about to answer, Edward and Emmett burst into the room and we all say, "I want a transfer."

I look over at their stern expressions, but they barely glance in my direction. I just cast them an angry glare before turning back to Ms. Cope, who is staring wide-eyed at the three of us.

"And what seems to be the problem?" she finally asks in confusion.

We all start talking at the same time, complaining and arguing about what happened in class. "One at a time," Ms. Cope tells us and we stop talking, "Edward, you may speak first."

I roll my eyes. This should be good. "Thank you, Ms. Cope," he replies politely, giving me a look out of the corner of his eye, "I want to transfer out of Biology because Isabella keeps harassing me."

"I did not!" I yell at him, "You were harassing me. I was just sticking up for myself."

"Isabella Swan, it's not your turn to talk," Ms. Cope scolds me before turning back to Edward, "Please continue."

This is infuriating. I cross my arms and scowl, impatiently waiting for my turn to speak. Emmett chuckles silently at my immaturity. I turn to glare and stick out my tongue at him. Edward had finished talking and Ms. Cope was staring at my rude behavior.

"Well, since you all seem to get along so well, I'll just keep you all in the same class."

We all turn to stare at her and then start arguing again.

"But she hit me with a badminton racket," Emmett complains.

"Only because he was hitting on me," I argue back.

Emmett stares at me, clearly shocked at my rebuttal. Edward barely notices. It's almost as if he's heard the argument before. Silently, I wonder if Alice had anything to do with it. I'm still confused about how she'd known about what I'd done to Edward and about Emmett being in my gym class. Just because they weren't human didn't mean they had unearthly abilities… did it?

Ms. Cope shakes her head at us in disappointment. "I don't care what the reason is," she informs us with a sigh, "I'm not changing your schedule no matter how much you argue."

"But you have to," Edward continues to plead with her, "Please… I _need_ a transfer from sixth hour Biology. Any other time will do." His voice was strained as if he'd been struggling to fight some silent force.

"And I don't want to risk anyone getting hurt in gym," Emmett chimes in, obviously implying he didn't want to witness me spilling my guts out all over the gym floor in case I hit him during the fall. Not that it would hurt him; after all, that poor badminton racket broke on impact. At least we are all after the same thing – a separate class _away_ from the other.

"I'm sorry, boys, but it seems I can't do anything about it. None of you – that includes you, Isabella – are getting a transfer," Ms. Cope finally tells us sternly, "Emmett, you already transferred from your previous gym class to this one due to an unfortunate accident, so I can not permit you another transfer. Edward and Bella, since nobody was really injured, I don't have a good enough reason to give you one. You will all go to the same scheduled classes tomorrow. Is that clear?"

Edward is clenching and unclenching his fist and grinding his teeth. He wouldn't try to hurt Ms. Cope, would he? Of course, he will… He's a vampire and he's thirsty. Now that I look closer, so is Emmett.

"We understand," I say to Ms. Cope before turning toward the vampires.

I figure they're able to smell my scent, so maybe I can get them to follow me instead of Ms. Cope. I take a deep breath and walk right between them, grabbing their wrists and tugging hard in attempt to get them to leave. Surprisingly enough, Edward jerks away suddenly and darts out of the room, leaving me and Emmett to stare.

**(A/N) Hey, how's all my happy little readers? I think for now I'm kinda doing okay… not that anyone really cares. What do you think will happen next? Thx for all the lovely reviews and keep them coming. I'm still looking for 3 each chappie, but I will update weekly unless I don't get three. :D Hope everyone enjoyed the holiday season and merry New Year to you all!**

**Many blessings from,**

**Girly 411**

**EDIT:**

**Yeah, same changes were made this time… I fixed the formatting and I corrected grammatical errors. You know, looking back at it, I think I kinda liked this chapter as much as the last one. =) Hmm… I dunno… Chapter 4 was also pretty interesting, but 5 and 6 are my favorites so far. I wonder what else I'll come up with. =/**

**_Original Post:_ ?**

**_Revised:_ 10/28/11**

**_Reposted:_ 10/30/11**


	7. I Don't Know

**Chapter 7: I Don't Know**

I'm so confused. I had stopped in my tracks the moment Edward had rushed by me. The burst of cold air from the door brought me back to my senses. I look down and notice I'm still holding Emmett's wrist. I'd let go it if I didn't think he'd eat Ms. Cope as soon as I did. I yank on his wrist again and try to move forward so I can lead him outside. The wind must have blown my scent in his face because he follows me without a problem. He hesitates once we get outside and I drop his wrist as I turn to him.

"What is going on?" I demand an explanation, but he gives me a confused look, "I know I broke a racket over your face, but it's not like it hurt you… and it never would have happened if you'd just covered my spot instead of insisting that I tried."

Emmett just stares at me blankly as if deciding whether or not to talk to me. "What did you do to Edward?" he finally asks, flashing me an amused grin, but I glare back at him, "You must have done _something_. He came into the office asking for a transfer from _your_ class and just now he ran away from you. What did you do?"

This is just great. The vampire runs away and his brother blames _me_. I roll my eyes at him and take a deep breath as another gust of wind blows at us from behind me. Emmett takes in a deep breath. "You smell good," he tells me as if that is both a compliment and a bad thing, "But why do you have garlic around your neck… and a cross?"

"It's for good luck," I give my sarcastic remark, "Maybe that's what made your brother leave."

"No, Eddie's just thirsty… You probably smelled too tempting," Emmett chuckles to himself and I start walking to my truck, but he easily catches up to me, "Tell me what you did in class to bother him. You didn't hit him, did you?" He scans me, probably checking for bruises on my hands and arms. Seeming satisfied, he looks over at my face, waiting for my response.

"If I hit him, I would have hurt myself instead," I state as a matter-of-factly, "I poured holy water on him because he wouldn't stop harassing me. Even so, that's not a reason for him to disappear."

I stop once we reach my truck and I start searching my pockets for the keys. "I don't know," Emmett begins, thinking it over to himself, "Eddie does tend to take things pretty seriously. Then again, you must have been bugging him all day with that smell. He might be back soon after quenching his thirst, so I wouldn't worry."

"Who's worrying?" I state, realizing my pockets are empty, "And what about you?"

"What _about_ me?" he asks and I hear a strange clinking that sounds like metal.

I look over at him suddenly and see he's leaning against my truck, dangling my keys in front of him with a smug smile on his face.

"How did you…?" I begin to ask in surprise, "Give that back. I don't have time to play games, _Emmett_. Alice needs me to develop a picture for her and I can't go anywhere unless you give me back my keys."

"First… what do you mean what about me?" he asks curiously and I can't tell if he's trying to stall because he wants to bite me or because he enjoys antagonizing me to no end.

"Go ahead and bite me," I say with a sigh, not wanting to give in to him, "I know you're thirsty, too. I'm not afraid of you."

Emmett bursts out laughing and I try to swipe back my keys, but he manages to pull them out of my reach… just like Edward had done with my list.

"Do I have to pour something on you, too?" I ask him, raising an eyebrow, hoping he'll give in.

When he finally calms down enough to speak, he looks at me funny. "Okay, so I'm really in the mood for a drink. Calm down," he tells me, "But are you sure you aren't afraid of me?"

I shake my head. "I'm not afraid of you or any vampire. I just want my keys back."

"What did Alice want a picture for?" Emmett questions, curiosity getting the better of him.

"She's in my art class," I explain, not wanting to tell him I snuck a picture of them at lunch, "Go ahead and ask her what she wants with it. I'm not psychic, so I wouldn't know. Now, if you'll give me back my keys, we'll both be free to do what we want." I hold my hand out again as Emmett chuckles at some private joke.

"Alright, fine, you win," he tells me as he holds the keys out in front of me with a grin, "You can take your keys back."

I look at him skeptically. It has to be a joke. There's no way he'd just hand it over to me like that.

I sigh. "That's it?" I ask him, trying to find some kind of string attached, "No cruel jokes… nothing?"

Emmett nods. "You don't think I can be nice for nothing in return?" he asks me, looking sort of hurt.

I shake my head. "You're not going to pull it away at the last second, are you?" I ask to make sure.

"Don't give me any ideas." He grins even bigger, dangling my keys again, making them clink together. "You want your keys? You can have them."

After a minute of silence between us, I try to grab my keys, but Emmett pulls them out of my way again and I sigh in frustration.

"_If_…" he continues with a smirk, "you do me one favor."

"I knew it," I grumble as I glare at him, "It's something stupid and unreasonable, isn't it?"

"No!" Emmett counters defensively, "Kiss me."

"Forget it. I'll walk," I state angrily and turn around to leave, but he grabs my wrist to prevent me from walking away again.

"Then will you at least let me drive you?" he asks seriously and I just nod, completely fed up with him and his constant games, "Great. Just tell me where we're heading first."

He walks around to the passenger's side and opens the door for me. I get in and he closes the door behind me while I buckle myself in. I guess he can be polite when he wants to, but something tells me he's up to something. He gets into the truck and starts it. He eyes Jacob's note as he closes the door and scrunched up his nose as if he smells something terrible, but quickly shakes it off before rolling down the window and looking at me.

"Where to?" he asks with a smile.

"Well, I was going to stop in town first so I can get that picture developed for Alice," I tell him and he starts to back out of the parking lot, "So, I guess that's where you can drive me first."

Emmett just nods and as we pass the rest of the vampires, I notice Alice staring at us in disbelief and frustration. I try to wave back, but Emmett speeds up a bit, so I don't have enough time. I look over at him quietly and notice he's staring straight ahead in concentration. Silently, I wonder what could be so bad that even Alice didn't approve.

When we finally stopped in town, Emmett held my door open for me and walked me inside the place we'd stopped at. I handed my camera over to the person who was supposed to develop my picture for me and I sat down to wait. Emmett stood farther away, fidgeting every few minutes or so.

It was very quiet and I didn't have anything to read to keep me occupied, so I stood up and went over to him. "I'll be back in a minute or so," I tell him before turning around to head out to my truck, but he grabs my wrist to stop me.

"Wait. Where are you going?" he asks concerned and I turn back to look at him.

"I'm just going out to my truck so I can get a book or something to read while we wait," I inform him.

"I'll come with you," he tells me as we start to walk towards the exit, "Plus, I still have the keys."

When we get outside, he unlocks the truck for me and I shuffle through my backpack to find a good book to skim.

"What do you think you're doing?" I hear Alice's voice and I spin around to see her glaring at Emmett.

I look over to see if any of the others are there, but I don't see anything.

"I just offered to drive her here," Emmett explains carefully, "Don't look at me like that."

"When you get back to the house, you'll be lucky if Rose doesn't bite your head off," Alice warns him, "Now, give Bella her keys and leave _now_."

Emmett casts me a strange look, tosses me my keys and darts off quickly.

"Alice," I say quietly and she turns to me, "Is everything going to be okay?"

"In truth…" she begins, "I don't know." With that, she darts off after Emmett.

**(A/N) Hey, everyone! Okay, so I've finished yet another chappie. How about I up the review demands. I want 5 now. If you can't handle that, well… then that's too bad for the ppl who want to read the next chappie. Cuz, I was sitting in front of my comp and saw that 5 ppl put my story on their favs or on alert and not a single one of them reviewed _at all_. Yeah, you know who you are. So, how about you actually review next time and then I'll update so much quicker. Even if it's just to say hi or to tell me to update, I want at least one thing in there that says whether this story was worth it or not. So, with that said… can anyone guess what Emmett was up to? That's something for you guys to review about. Now, press that little (now turned big) button and REVIEW! Yeah! Okay, now obsessed with the 80s – listening to _Totally 80s_ CD right now. R&R! Tootles!**

**EDIT:**

**Again, minor changes were made to the narration (because I left out a word the first time round and spelled some things wrong) and I fixed the format and several grammatical errors.**

**Here's a wee secret about the title of this chapter… and the theme of it, I suppose. I was drawing up blank when I was attempting to develop a chapter title to describe the idea I wanted to write for the chapter. So, when I was talking with TheBadassRoza, I just said "I don't know" when she asked… and she wrote it onto the page for me. XD Heheh… And so it became the chapter title as well as several lines in this chapter. I'm so good at title-dropping, huh? ;P**

**Oh, well…**

**_Original Post:_ ?**

**_Revised:_ 10/ 28/11**

**_Reposted:_ 10/30/11**


	8. La Push

**Chapter 8: La Push**

**(A/N) Okay, so before you skip this chappie cuz you hate the puppies, I'm gonna warn you: _THIS __CHAPPIE__ IS__ MEGA__ IMPORTANT!__ DON__'__T __SKIP __IT!_ Did you get that? Good. Now plz continue reading. smiles innocently. : )**

I got home, went directly up to my room, and tossed the envelope with the picture in it onto my desk. Alice had been right. She did look pretty good in that picture. On my list, I wrote "do show up"next to the bit about pictures. I lie on my back looking up at the ceiling above my bed. Sighing deeply, I try to piece together the events of my first day in this small town as a school girl. It hadn't been like I'd expected.

I'd met lots of new friends, scared away a blood-thirsty vampire I wanted to destroy, been driven to town by a no-brained, big-muscled egghead of a vampire, been hit on by every guy in site, and almost collided with a family of bloodsuckers. Now, I find out that one of them is figuring out how to get all the gossip before anyone else has started it. What did she mean when she said "in truth" she didn't know? Since we're sort of friends now, does she mean she wants to be completely honest with me?

I know one thing. I need to ask her to explain to me more about that Volturi Coven. If they are head of the vampires, I need to know more about them so I can shut them down. The next day, Edward didn't show up at school. In art, Alice kept looking at me nervously. I gave her a copy of the picture I took, which seemed to make her feel a bit better, but she was still so tense I couldn't get her calm enough to talk to.

Gym was a pain, as usual. Emmett seemed to have learned and covered my spot well, but stayed at least five feet away from me at all times. I had to wonder what Rosalie had said – or done – to him. This pattern happened for the rest of the week. Edward was still gone and I wanted to know why. Maybe he destroyed himself so I don't have to. I sigh in confusion.

I had almost forgotten about the scheduled trip to the reservation until Mike showed up offering me a ride. I let Charlie know and I greeted Angela, Jessica, and Eric as I got in the car. The car ride was loud, so I'm a little happy when we get to the reservation. It'll be nice to surprise Jacob with a visit. As soon as the doors open, I stumble out into the salty air and take a breath as I steady myself.

We meet up with Ben, Connor, Lauren, and Tyler on the beach, where I notice Jacob is sitting by a small blue and green driftwood fire on a bone white bench and talking with two guys I've never seen before. I walk up behind him as quietly as possible and throw my arms around his neck in a hug.

"Hey, Jake!" I say as he turns around and stares at me in surprise.

"Bella!" he exclaims in his pleasant husky voice, "I didn't expect you to be here. How are you?"

His warm smile lit up his altogether very pretty face. He had beautiful silky russet-colored skin and dark eyes set deep above the high planes of his cheek-bones. I could tell there was still a hint of childish roundness left around his chin, but he was only fifteen, so there was plenty of time for him to mature. I liked the way his long glossy black hair was pulled back with a rubber band at the nape of his neck. It was something I'd known him for since we were little.

"I'm fine. I just came up here to visit my favorite mechanic," I tell him with a laugh as I squeeze him tighter, "I love the truck; I still can't believe you built it for me. You're the best."

A couple of the guys who'd come here with us – mostly Mike, Eric, and Tyler – look at Jacob with what looks like a hint of jealousy.

"I put it together with you in mind," he tells me, either ignoring or not really noticing the others staring, "Come on, sit down and we can talk." He gives one of his friends a strange look and the boy nods before moving over to make room for me next to Jacob.

I sit down next to him, releasing him from my grasp as everyone catches up with us and sit down on the other benches.

"Bella, do you know these people?" Lauren asks me suspiciously, eyeing me with her narrowed pale fishy eyes.

"Just Jake," I tell her with a small shrug, "I've known him since he was born."

Jacob smiles as he reaches down to grab my hand like he always does. "And we've been best friends since I was old enough to recognize who she was," Jacob adds before realizing something, "Oh, and these are my friends from the reservation. Quil and Embry, this is Bella and the rest of her friends."

The guy on my other side looks over at me – or maybe I just noticed that he was staring at me now – and smiles, more like grins. He was short, more burly of the bunch, and his hair was so short it was almost a buzz. I notice his shirt is strained over a well-developed chest, which he seems proudly aware of.

"Hey, I'm Embry Call," he introduces himself mostly to me, though he might be talking to everyone, "It's nice to finally see the face Jake's been talking about for the past _month_ while he worked on that truck."

Yeah, he's talking to me, but it doesn't matter because everyone else is starting their own many conversations, though Lauren keeps glancing at me.

"I'm Quil Ateara, but… you probably guessed that," the boy on Jacob's other side says as he turns to me. He was slender and, by the looks of it, almost as tall as Jacob. His chin-length black hair was parted down the middle, one side tucked behind his left ear while the right side swung free. "You're Charlie's kid, right?" he asks just to be sure, "Bella… Swan?"

I nod as I smile back at him. "Yeah, I came here because I needed a change," I tell him with a shrug.

"So, how's you're mom, Renée?" Jacob asks, claiming my attention again, "Is she doing alright without you to keep her company?"

I sigh as I think it over to myself. Jacob's my best friend, so I can tell him what happened to make me move, right? I motion for them to lean in closer, which they gladly do, because I don't want Lauren spreading rumors.

"I'm sure she would have been fine if… I needed to get away from seeing her and Phil together," I inform them, changing my approach to the topic, "Phil was a big baseball coach and my mom married him. They wanted me to travel with them, but…" I trail off; trying to figure out how to tell them my mom and her husband had been killed by two blood-thirsty vampires.

"Yeah, I still don't know who my real dad is," Embry says thoughtfully, "That means one of these guys could be my step-brother. Talk about freaky."

Jacob reaches around me and playfully punches him in the arm. "Oh, come on," he teases his friend with a laugh, "You'll figure it out eventually. I mean, I've always wanted a brother. Now, I might actually have one."

"You also said you wanted a girlfriend, but did that happen? _No_," Quil adds with a grin and Jacob gives him a playful push.

"Not yet," Jacob corrects him.

"But listen to me," I tell them and then pause until they collect themselves, gathering closer again to listen, "This is really important and you have to promise not to laugh, but you can't tell anyone."

"Sure, Bella," Jacob assures me, "You can tell me anything and I'm sure Quil and Embry will find a way to keep their mouths shut, right, guys?"

"Maybe," Embry grins sarcastically.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with us," Quil assures me.

"Good." I sigh, deciding to just spit it out and tell them. "Renée and Phil were killed by vampires." I whisper the last word rather harshly.

Jacob and Quil stare at me blankly for a minute before slowly cracking a smile.

"You promised you wouldn't laugh." I pout, feeling insulted. I look over and notice Embry's expression, which is serious and concerned.

"_Seriously?_" Quil asks me to be sure, "_Vampires?_"

"Yes," I tell him, trying to figure out Embry's expression, "Does it even matter to you that my mom and Phil are dead – _murdered_? I'm not lying. I saw what happened. They even have cold crescent-shape scars on their necks from the bite. Don't you _care_?"

"Of course, we do, Bella," Jacob begins, "It's just that –"

"I need to talk to Bella," Embry interrupts him, "_Alone_… now."

I stare at him curiously. "Yeah, sure," I respond as we get up, "Jake, would you and Quil give us a minute? We'll be right back."

"Sure," Jacob responds as Embry walks me along the shore of the beach and stops when they're out of ear shot.

"I believe you," he tells me, "And I think I can help you."

"You'd be one of the first to believe me. Even Charlie hasn't noticed.=," I say before asking him curiously, "What do you mean you can help me?"

"You want to get rid of those vampires, right?" he questions me and I nod, "Good, that's why I'm here. I can explain more about it later if you'll agree to come here tomorrow afternoon. It will give me time to… work things out with a few people."

"Okay," I agree curiously, "I'm still glad you believe me."

When we get back to the group, Jacob and Quil turn to face us. "Did Embry confess his undying love for you?" Quil teases us as we stop in front of the bench they are still sitting on.

"Oh, you caught me," Embry states sarcastically as he nods for me to sit down and we start to talk about Jacob's newest project – building his Rabbit – while I think about my plans for tomorrow.

**(A/N 2) Hey, again! So, what did you think? I still want 5 reviews for this chappie. If I get them before next week you'll have a new chappie to read then! But if you don't give me five, you'll have to wait until I get all of them. Is that clear? I think it is. Since you've been so dedicated so far, what do you want to see happen later on in the story.**

**Here's a few things I want you to think about: What do you want to happen with Bella and Edward's relationship (I know what _I_ want to happen, but I just want to see how many of _you_ see it the same way as I do)? What do you think is going on with Emmett (_I_ know, but do _you_)? What should happen between Bella and the rest of the Cullens (that's an easy one)? What should happen between Bella and the 'puppies' (I'm a little scared to see what most of you 'puppy' haters put)?**

**Those are a few things I want to hear your answers to. So, go ahead and R&R cuz the sooner you do, the sooner another chappie will be posted! Luv everyone who's reviewed already, I would like to thank Cae and Vampp again for their help and support. So, for everyone's sake, pplz, plz review! L8rs!**

**EDIT:**

**I again corrected grammatical errors and tweaked the formatting of this chapter. I also added words to the narration here and there where they were needed… because even I'm not perfect and miss words when transcribing written text to typed text. =/**

**_Original__ Post:_ ?**

**_Revised:_ 10/28/11**

**_Reposted:_ 10/30/11**


	9. Embry

**Chapter 9: Embry**

**(A/N) Did all of you get my author's note from before? DON'T SKIP ANYTHING WITH THE PUPPIES IN IT! IT'S _TRÉS _IMPORTANTE! Got that? Good. Now read on. Uh… for anyone who missed it, the word that has a random accent is a French word meaning _very_. And uh… it initially had a random lowercase letter é in it because the computer I was using at the time wouldn't give me a capital letter with the right accent, so yeah… it's lowercase. Anyone here speak French besides RoryAceHayden147, who I'm gonna thank for chatting with me and inspiring me to continue this… and of course I hafta thank Cae again. Thx to both of ya! Now read on. Do not skip. Fair warning. 3**

Sunday afternoon took forever to come around and I was even more curious than before to find out what Embry meant when he said he could help me. I try to take my time as I get in my truck so I won't fall and hurt myself. The suspense is killing me as I start the engine, pull out of the driveway, and rush in the direction of the reservation. Embry had told me he needed to work things out with people. Who did he need to talk to? Why is it relevant to my problem? Will they be there or will we be alone? The questions keep building up, so I'm excited when I finally get to the reservation and walk down to the beach where Embry said he'd meet me.

I follow his instructions and walk along the shoreline until I'm far enough to see the edge of the woods. Stopping for a second, I look around for the path I was supposed to be looking for. I take a few steps closer to the woods hoping that maybe I'd find the path somewhere near it. It's not until I'm close enough to touch the first tree lining the edge of the beach and look around that I realize I'm probably lost. I turn around, hoping to see Embry or Jacob or _someone_ I know coming up to me to help me, but no one's there.

Just as I'm about to walk back down the beach again, I feel a hand on my shoulder and scream as I turn around in shock. Embry is standing there grinning at me as I clutch my heart to prevent it from leaping out of my chest.

"Embry," I say as soon as I catch my breath, "How –?"

"Jake warned me about your tendency to get lost," he cuts me off with a slight laugh, "So, I calculated that you'd end up just short of a mile from where I told you to meet me. Come on."

He extends his hand to me and I just stare at him for a moment before realizing there are a lot of things I might trip on and reluctantly grab his warm hand. It's too warm, almost burning, but it feels nice against my chilled hand in comparison. We start walking and I can't help but feel sort of curious and impatient to know what he was talking about helping me with getting rid of vampires and working things out with some people first. I'm trying to hold back all my questions, but I can't help myself when I ask the first question that pops into my head.

"How do you know about vampires?" I question, looking curiously at him.

He looks at me as if considering his answer. "Not here, okay?" he tells me quietly, "If you'll give me a minute, I'll show you."

I look around in confusion as I try to avoid tripping over the rocks and pieces of driftwood. "There's no one else here… no one is going to hear us talking about it," I try to protest, but he just shakes his head at me, "Why can't you tell me now?"

Embry sighs deeply, looking straight ahead into the distance. "We're not there yet," he explains seriously, so I give up my argument and continue walking. Thinking it over to myself, I realize I have another important question. "Who did you need to talk with before you came to meet me?" I ask him, hoping he'll answer me.

Embry waits a while as we walk before finding it safe to answer. "I needed to talk with my… well, we're sort of like a pack really. I kind of told them about what you said, but they know everything I know and I knew they wanted to help you get rid of those vampires," he assures me just as I was about to yell at him for telling anyone else, "I know you probably didn't want me to, but you need to understand that this is what we do. We get rid of those… _bloodsuckers_."

I'm more interested in this conversation now. So, there is a group of people who get rid of vampires and I didn't know about it? "I'd like to meet these people," I tell him confidently. Anyone who has a reason to hate the vampires is a potential ally well worth getting to know.

"Well, you're close to it," Embry mutters as we get seemingly closer to wherever we are heading.

Before I can even begin to ask him any of my remaining but quickly multiplying questions, I realize I would probably find out more just by waiting rather than prodding for more of his ever-so-evasive answers. Some things are better left unsaid, I figured to myself, knowing full well that a picture was definitely worth a thousand words.

After a while of watching my feet, I can tell we had just arrived because Embry stiffens only slightly and I bravely let go of his hand. Taking a few steps closer to the trees, I take a moment to look at my surroundings. I start to wander along the path leading into the woods, Embry following at a close distance, curious as to what secrets might be hiding here and just as I reach a particularly thick patch of trees, I notice something I almost wish I hadn't. In front of me is a large pair of eyes attached to an even larger furry black body… and I scream.

"There's a m-monster in the woods!" I yell, hiding behind Embry for protection, "A large furry black monster. Don't let it eat me."

The muscled boy did the last thing I expected him to do – he laughs. I'm quivering in fear and he just laughs? What help is _that_ supposed to offer? Silently, I wonder if he really did believe me after all or if he'd brought me here as a prank.

"That's no monster, Bella." He does his best not to laugh too hard. "That's Sam."

"You _named_ it?" I quiz, finding it hard to believe that thing was his pet, "So, I suppose Jake and Quil are in on this, too, then… or are you going to take all the credit?"

I can not believe him. Okay, so I can partially believe he'd be so cruel as to mock me like this, though I suppose it's my fault for falling for it.

"Well, giving credit where credit is due, that was quite an amusing show you just put on," Embry admits before getting serious again, "This is my pack and Sam is our leader."

Part of me has a feeling he isn't kidding as I look around at the other pairs of eyes belonging to large furry masses of all colors hiding in the shadows around me.

"Pack?" was the only word that escaped my lips, which I'm pretty sure were quivering by now because for a moment I start to think he's teamed up with those filthy leaches to get rid of me.

And just as I was expecting a large group of teeth-bearing canines ready to rip apart my flesh, the last thing I expected emerges from the thick black of the woods in front of me – a group of shirtless guys. Now, I'm really starting to worry.

The tallest man of their group approaches me and I try hard not to be intimidated by him. "I have heard much about you and your predicament, Bella Swan," he says, "I am Sam Uley and these are the others of our pack."

A quick exchange of names passes around and I try to commit them to memory in case the need should arise that I have to recall any of them off the top of my head.

"We are what you call werewolves; the protectors of humankind; the natural enemies of vampires," Sam went on to say and the others stay quiet out of respect, "We are the only ones able to destroy them… and we hear you need our help."

"Uh, yeah…" I tell them as casually as I can, while subtly guarding myself in case they attack, "My mom and step-dad were killed by a pair of vampires. They would have gotten me, too, but… my dad came in and scared them off." That still doesn't make sense to me, but luckily they don't ask.

"Do you remember what they look like?" he questions hopefully, "If they are in the area, we might be able to spot hem."

"Of course. How could I forget?" I reply before telling them what I remember.

Sam nods and lets out a decisive sigh. "Then, we'll keep an eye out for them. If they cross over onto our territory, we'll deal with them."

The others nod in agreement, reminding me of those gangs in old movies. My thoughts trail back to the events after school and I notice Sam giving me this strange look.

"Is there anything else on your mind?"

It's like he's reading my thoughts… or my facial expression – I'm probably _that_obvious. "Yeah, do you know anything about the Cullens?"

**(A/N 2) BOO YA! I finally flipping finished this chappie! *does a happy dance* Stupid writer's block! Curses! But to the readers – if any still remain – thanks for putting up with me for a year. It really means a lot and I'm so so so so so so so so so so (you get the idea) so so so so SORRY for not updating in forever! This chappie was prob really lame, but hey… that's the best I can do for a year of incredibly irksome writer's block. But I must thank Cae – Clumsybird92 (previously known as TrippingAngel390623) – and my new buddy on here lorey888(?). Thanks loads you two for poking me to get this done! *uber huggles***

**And I owe the rest of you who stuck this through an uber fruit basket! *hands one out to each person who is still reading this* Hopefully I'll have more for you within a week. But if not, please bare with me - *hides for shame* - I will try to update much more frequently to make up for all that stupid lost time. If anyone has any suggestions, they'd be greatly appreciated. And I'm actually expecting a couple ppl to yell at me for being so slow with this. Again I'm REALLY sorry! Please forgive me. I'm a terrible person. I'm so bad. *slaps own wrists* Alrighty… so I'll try to have more for you soon. **

**I may be losing my gusto for this story actually – I'll probably drop it soon if I can't force myself to keep going – so any inspiration you can give me will be greatly appreciated and I'll of course give you credit for saving my arse on this one. XD**

'**Til next time then. *waves***

**EDIT:**

**So, you know the drill by now. My edits are the same: I fixed formatting and grammatical errors, also added a tweaked some words in the narration where it fit.**

**Now, I'm really sorry to say this, but I think I have lost my gusto for this story. I know a lot of you want me to continue with it and I really HATE to drop a story, but… I can't think of anything. I really just don't know if I can do this anymore. I'm bored of it… and I really want to finish it. Believe me, I do because I have so many great ideas for how it ends and the parts leading up to it… but it's all the transitioning in between that I just don't think I can manage to brainstorm for. And I don't want to do a half-arsed job of it… because I want to be able to do my best work, but…**

**I don't know. If anyone still cares about this story, please do let me know and offer me a few suggestions on how to continue this. Please?**

**I have two options right now for the next chapter:**

**1) I can actually go through a detailed telling of the story of the Cullens in a conversation with Bella and the 'puppies'**

**or**

**2) I can just skip to when Bella's driving home and have her reflecting on what she's learned.**

**Which would be more fun for you to read? That'd be a start to help me get back into the swing of things… alright? Please give me a hand here? Otherwise, I'm sorry… but I don't know if I can do it any longer. =( It's been so long and I hate to drop this. I still kinda like this story. Thanks so much for the reviews, the alerts, and the faves… It really means a lot that I have your support. I'm eternally grateful. But I'm not sure how many people are still interested in this. Remember I accept PMs and anonymous reviews, too, if you feel like leaving me a message on the chapter that way. I'd love to hear from you.**

**Don't worry. I don't bite. I'm a good puppy. ;)**

**_Original__ Post:_ 5/25/10**

**_Revised:_ 10/28/11**

**_Reposted:_ 10/30/11**


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